Revamped Singapore Festival Stresses SE Asian Credentials

HONG KONG -- Yuni Hadi, producer of Anthony Chen's breakout film "Ilo Ilo" has been set as festival director of the Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF), which is being revived this December.

The latest, 25th iteration of the festival, is intended to put the focus clearly on South East Asia.

The SGIFF will run Dec. 4-14, 2014, as part of the 'Singapore Media Festival,' the new umbrella name for the existing events cluster which also combines the Asian Television Forum & Market, ScreenSingapore and Asian Television Awards.

The Asia TV Forum and ScreenSingapore will both run Dec. 9-12, 2014 and set up a dates clash with Asian exhibition and distribution convention CineAsia which will be held in Hong Kong Dec 9-11.

Hadi, who ran has managed or directed two previous editions of the old Singapore festival, heads a team that has been slightly revamped since the festival revival was announced late last year.

Film selection will be headed by Zhang Wenjie, another former director of the festival. He recently ran the National Museum of Singapore's Cinematheque and The Substation Moving Images. Karen Wai will head marketing.

"As a festival, we value the role that film has played in telling the stories that need to be told. SGIFF has always been at the forefront of discovering film talents from this region. This has created a wider Southeast Asian film community that has allowed us to share resources and exchange ideas. We are deeply invested in continuing this tradition of SGIFF," said Hadi in a statement.

The festival's board is led by Mike Wiluan, CEO of Infinite Studios as chairman, with other board members including actress Janice Koh; NYU Tisch School of the Arts Asia's Michael Lim; Lee Chor Lin, CEO of Arts Festival Limited; Singapore Tourism Board's Lynette Pang; Sebastian Tan, MD of Shooting Gallery Asia; and Elim Chew, president of 77th Street. Shaw Soo Wei, the former executive director of the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society, who had been instrumental in relaunching the Singapore festival, also joins the board.

As previously announced, the SGIFF will also revive the 'Silver Screen Awards,' a competition section of the film festival focused on emerging talent. It will be open to Asian feature films and Southeast Asian & Singapore short films.

SGIFF will also set up an international advisory board led by film-maker Eric Khoo.